The present invention relates to a mechanically actuated refuse compactor of the type in which a reciprocating ram within a refuse container compacts refuse against an interior wall of the container.
The present refuse compactor is an improvement over the refuse compactor disclosed in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,088,071. Although the compactor of such prior patent was a substantial improvement over the prior art and has been commercially successful, experience with such compactor's ram actuator drive mechanism has revealed certain deficiencies in need of correction for optimum performance.
One such deficiency relates more to the users than to the apparatus. Typical users of the compactor are not knowledgeable about the maintenance of mechanical equipment and could not be relied upon to lubricate the mechanical drive mechanism on a regular basis. As a result, mechanical breakdowns were sometimes caused by lack of regular lubrication of moving parts. Therefore there has developed a need for means for automatically lubricating the ram drive mechanism at regular intervals.
Another deficiency is the need for maintaining precise alignment of the mechanical ball screw actuator drive with the driven ram actuator. The vertical ball screw is anchored at its opposite ends in bearings, and extends through a ball nut which is rigidly connected to the mechanical ram actuator assembly. Such rigid mounting of the ball screw and nut require precise alignment of the ball screw with the actuator. It has been found through experience that such precise alignment is difficult to maintain with prolonged use and that misalignment can lead to excessive wear, binding and malfunction of the actuator drive. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved ram actuator drive to solve the misalignment problem.
A third deficiency, is the unreliability of the compactor's operation in cold weather. The compactor is typically used to compact moisture laden refuse from grocery stores and restaurants. Such semi-dry refuse when compacted tends to cause water and other liquids to collect in the bottom of the container and along the outer surface of the compacted refuse. During prolonged periods of subfreezing temperatures, ice formed within the container and especially along its floor can cause the ram to freeze up and the compacted refuse to freeze to the inside walls of the container, preventing the ram from operating and the compacted refuse from being dumped when the container is inverted.